Niagara Power Project FERC No. 2216
IMPEDIMENTS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE FUTURE USE AND DISPOSITION OF THE ROBERT MOSES PARKWAY
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Prepared for: New York Power Authority
Prepared by: URS Corporation
August 2005
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Copyright © 2005 New York Power Authority
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The overall objective of this study is to summarize information related to a particular segment of the Robert Moses Parkway (Parkway), a four-lane north-south arterial extending from the North Grand Island Bridges in the south to the Town of Porter in the north. The New York Power Authority (NYPA) constructed most of the Parkway in 1962 at the time of Niagara Power Project (NPP) construction.
The Parkway has been subject to criticism by some for having negatively impacted the “naturalness” of the Niagara gorge rim, and for having greatly reduced Niagara River Gorge accessibility. To address these perceived issues, many have urged modifications to the Parkway design. Some have advocated removing the Parkway entirely. Others prefer the status quo.
The Robert Moses Parkway has been the subject of a large number of proposals, plans, and studies since the early 1970s; virtually all of them conceptual plans that have never been implemented (paper studies). From 2001 to 2003, however, a pilot study was carried out by the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) on behalf of the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historical Preservation (NYSOPRHP) to determine the effect of converting one side of a five-mile stretch of parkway to a foot and bicycle trail, restricting motor traffic, and increasing cross-Parkway access to the gorge.
This report summarizes the conclusions of all proposals, plans, and studies, including the recent pilot study. It also summarizes impediments to permanent modifications of the Parkway, as well as identifying opportunities for making such modifications.
The New York Power Authority (NYPA) is engaged in the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) relicensing of the Niagara Power Project (NPP) in the Town of Lewiston, Niagara County, New York. The present operating license of the plant expires in August 2007. As part of its preparation for the relicensing of the NPP, NYPA is developing background information related to the ecological, engineering, recreational, cultural, and socioeconomic aspects of the Project. The FERC Project boundary is shown in Figure 1.1-1.
The Robert Moses Parkway (Parkway), a large portion of which was completed in 1962 by NYPA, today extends approximately 14 miles from the North Grand Island Bridges to Fort Niagara State Park (Figure 1.1-2). The Parkway was designed to link a series of state-owned parks in Niagara County, facilitating scenic and recreational automobile usage. As built, the Parkway passed through the historic Niagara Reservation State Park and Prospect Park. In the late 1970s, the Parkway was removed from a portion of the Reservation. It has been argued by members of some stakeholder groups in the FERC relicensing process that the Parkway has not been a boon to the region, but rather has destroyed natural habitat and reduced access to the Niagara gorge.
The objectives of this report are as follows:
· Describe the roles and responsibilities of NYPA, New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, and New York State Department of Transportation regarding the Parkway and its associated lands;
· Describe regulatory obligations regarding any proposed changes to the utilization of the Parkway and its associated lands;
· Describe proposed redevelopment plans affecting or affected by the Parkway;
· Describe results of ongoing pilot studies as they relate to the Parkway;
· Describe the Robert Moses Parkway historical purpose and intent, functional classification (DOT classification), and service role within the existing transportation network based on existing information;
· Identify impediments and opportunities related to the future of the Robert Moses Parkway.
The section of the Parkway being investigated for this report runs from the North Grand Island Bridges to the Ridge Road interchange in the Town of Lewiston, a distance of approximately 10.8 miles. (Figure 1.3-1 and Figure 1.3-2). The section of the Robert Moses Parkway north of the Upper Mountain Road interchange was paid for and constructed by the New York State Department of Public Works. This agency no longer exists and the ownership and maintenance of this section of the Robert Moses Parkway is now the responsibility of the New York State Department of Transportation. The section south of the interchange, extending approximately 9.3 miles to the Grand Island Bridges, was constructed by NYPA. The portion of the Parkway between Niagara Reservation State Park and the Ridge Road interchange in the Town of Lewiston has been the focus of public attention for many years
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Robert Moses Parkway Investigation Area
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Robert Moses Parkway Investigation Area with Digital Orthoimagery
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The Niagara Power Project, owned and operated by the New York Power Authority (Power Authority, Authority, or NYPA), was licensed by the Federal Power Commission in 1958. Construction of the Project began in 1958, and generation of electricity commenced in 1961. The original 50-year operating license expires in August 2007.
The Robert Moses Parkway, named for the chairman of the Authority at the time of NPP construction, is a four-lane, limited-access highway running from the North Grand Island bridges in the south to Fort Niagara State Park in the north. Over most of its length it is divided, with a grass median. As built, it provides two 12-foot travel lanes in each direction. To preserve its scenic nature, and because of clearance restrictions at the North Grand Island Bridges, the Parkway is designated as a non-commercial route, with a posted speed limit along the divided sections of 55 mph.
The southernmost portion of the Parkway (which actually runs east-west), links I-190 at the North Grand Island Bridges to the City of Niagara Falls at Buffalo Avenue/Quay Street (Figure 1.1-2). Since the late 1970s, the Parkway has been closed to northbound traffic at this point. Traffic that was originally routed through the Niagara Reservation State Park has been for the most part removed from the Reservation, although remnants of the Parkway preserve a connection, via Rainbow Boulevard, to the point at which the Parkway continues northward as a two-lane, two-way divided highway. Southbound traffic through this area continues from the Parkway via Rainbow Boulevard South to Quay Street where an entrance ramp is provided for re-entry onto the four-lane divided section of the Parkway. Niagara Reservation State Park traffic from the east can access the Niagara Reservation’s main entrance at Prospect Street by proceeding along the northbound lane of the Parkway, which is a one-way scenic park drive between Quay Street and Prospect Street.
From north of Main Street, the Parkway continues northward to its terminus in the Town of Porter (Lake Avenue, or NY State Route 18), where access is provided to Fort Niagara State Park.
In 1887, famed landscape designer Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr., discussed the concept of a (carriage-) road called the “Riverway” along the Niagara River in his General Plan for the Improvement of the Niagara Reservation (co-authored with Calvert Vaux) (Historic Plan). Olmsted notes that the plan for the Riverway is to extend throughout the length of the Reservation. The plan states that this Riverway is a necessity, should be kept as far as possible from the shore, and should contain an alignment “…discontinuous with straight outlines and angular changes in direction”.
In the late 1950s, as part of its construction of the Niagara Power Project, the Power Authority of the State of New York constructed 9.3 miles of parkway on lands it owned along the Niagara River. This Robert Moses Parkway, completed in 1962, extended from the North Grand Island Bridges in the south to the Upper Mountain Road interchange in the Town of Lewiston to the north.
The entire waterfront (defined as the area between the inland boundary of the Parkway and the shoreline) in the Investigation Area is owned by the State of New York, either in the name of the People of the State of New York or in the name of particular state entities. NYPA and the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (NYSOPRHP) exercise control and jurisdiction over most of the waterfront. The Niagara Falls Bridge Commission owns the property adjacent to the Rainbow Bridge, Whirlpool Bridge and Lewiston-Queenston Bridge. See Figure 2.2.3.1-1 depicting land owned by NYPA along the Parkway corridor.
NYPA owns the waterfront from the North Grand Island Bridges to the Niagara Reservation State Park, from the northern boundary of the Niagara Reservation State Park to the remnant of Bath Avenue just north of the Whirlpool Rapids Bridge, and from the northern boundary of Devils Hole State Park to the east-west northern boundary of Artpark, approximately coincident with Tuscarora Street in the Village of Lewiston (with two minor exceptions in this area). It should also be noted that ownership in the “gap” between the second and third areas so listed is complicated; NYPA owns certain incidental fragments of property under and adjacent to the Parkway proper, and it also owns two non-connecting sections of the right of way for the Great Gorge Railroad, which ran along the base of the Gorge. See Figure 2.2.3.1-1 for a map of the Parkway within the NPP Boundary.
That portion of the Parkway constructed by NYPA, extending approximately 9.3 miles from the Grand Island Bridges to the intersection with Upper Mountain Road, is administered by NYSOPRHP. Maintenance responsibilities are coordinated with the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), Region 5, Buffalo, New York.
The responsibility for operation and maintenance (O&M) of the Parkway was transferred from NYPA to NYSOPRHP pursuant to NYPA Trustee Resolutions of 1961 and 1964 and a letter agreement from the latter year and from NYSOPRHP to NYSDOT in 1975 pursuant to an agreement and state budget resolution (1975/76 State Finance Act).
With respect to the entire Investigation Area, any significant change in the Parkway’s configuration, management, or usage would need to be reviewed and approved by NYSDOT. In addition, approximately 5.85 miles of the Parkway is within the Boundary established pursuant to the Project license granted by FERC, which means that any significant change with respect to those portions of the Parkway so included would be subject to approval by FERC. It should be noted that FERC approval would pre-empt any competing state jurisdiction.
Portions of the roadway are part of the National Highway System (NHS), and are therefore subject to the requirements of the United States Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration (USDOT-FHWA).
The Robert Moses Parkway’s DOT functional classification
is “Principal Arterial Non-connecting Link.”
Functional
classification is the process by which streets and highways are grouped
according to the character of their intended use. The basis of the system is the relationship
between the roads and the functions they serve, the relevant functions being
generally grouped into two fundamental services: (1) access to property, and
(2) travel mobility. Most roads perform varying
degrees of these services and the combination of these services determines the
road classification (i.e., Local Road, Collector Road, and Arterial).
The Parkway’s Federal Aid Highway classification is
“Federal-Aid Urban System.” This classification is also
based on the type of area served, which is in turn based on the U.S. Bureau of
the Census definitions of urban area, small urban area, and rural area. The rules governing the Federal Aid Highway
classification system require that the urban area boundary smooth out
irregularities; encompass fringe areas of residential, commercial, industrial,
national defense, and transportation significance; include major highway
interchanges where appropriate; and consider transit service areas. This system of classification is used in
developing long-range transportation plans and determining federal aid funding
categories. Classification under this
system does not, however, mean that federal funds are automatically available
for improvements.
The Parkway has served as a transportation link between the City of Niagara Falls and points north, south, east, and west. Communities to the north of the City of Niagara Falls, especially, perceive the Parkway as a vital transportation link (i.e., commuter route).
For years, the Parkway has been subject to criticism in the Niagara region. The criticism has been focused upon whether the Parkway is a benefit to the region or a detriment. The benefit is seen in its service as a major high-speed arterial between the City of Niagara Falls and the northern portions of the Niagara region. The detriment is seen in its impact on native habitat, and its effective elimination of access to the scenic Niagara gorge, especially for pedestrian traffic.
Groups claiming that the Parkway has destroyed natural habitat and impeded access to the Niagara gorge have advocated the removal of the section of the Parkway constructed by NYPA and the creation of facilities consistent with Olmsted’s plan for a linear park along the gorge from the Falls to the Village of Lewiston. This plan, say its advocates, would provide for the gorge rim to be restored to a more natural state, and for construction of hiking and biking trails along the park’s proposed 6.5-mile length. The advocates of this proposal believe that it is consistent with NYSOPRHP plans to restore Goat Island and the Niagara Reservation State Park to a more natural condition. On a regional basis, such a modification would provide the “middle link” between trails to be constructed along the upper Niagara River and the trail from the Village of Lewiston to Youngstown. The natural restoration would also add over 300 acres to the Globally Significant Important Bird Area (IBA) designated by the American Bird Conservancy’s IBA Program along the Niagara River shoreline.
NYSOPRHP, in conjunction with NYSDOT, recently completed a pilot study to assess the feasibility of the permanent closure of a portion of the Parkway. The Robert Moses Parkway Pilot Project Evaluation, conducted by NYSOPRHP and NYSDOT from September 2001 to September 2003, consisted of converting portions of the two southbound lanes of the divided four-lane highway to a multi-use pedestrian and bicycle path, thereby allowing improved pedestrian access to the Niagara gorge. The converted portion extended from the Niagara Gorge Discovery Center (former Schoellkopf Geological Museum) five miles northward to a point just south of the Lewiston Queenston Bridge.
To encourage pedestrian access along the new “trailway,” five access points were established for crossing the Parkway. The existing northbound lanes were converted to two-way traffic with a single lane each northbound and southbound.
On the basis of this program’s results, NYSOPRHP and NYSDOT determined that no significant adverse impacts were caused to traffic by the modification. The driving time over the five-mile modified section increased by slightly more than two minutes. Accidents were reduced by about 50%, and vehicle emission levels decreased by 16%. Since access points were provided at five points along the study section, access by pedestrians and bicyclists was improved.
NYSOPRHP with NYSDOT determined that the pilot study configuration of the Parkway adequately serves the transportation needs of the community, and the conversion is therefore to remain in place, with aesthetic and safety improvements, until a future design study determines how to further integrate the new multi-use path and two-way roadway to serve the needs of the community. The Pilot Program study and analysis is expected to lead to a number of recommended modifications and improvements (not detailed in the report).
The Robert Moses Parkway Pilot Project Evaluation Report concludes that enhancements to existing facilities within the Parkway corridor, in conjunction with NYSOPRHP and NYSDOT Pilot Program enhancements and other proposed future enhancements (such as increased access points), would likely result in an increase of recreational/tourist traffic through the area, both motorized and non-motorized. This should not adversely affect the typical peak (rush) hour traffic, since recreational and tourist usage times would not generally coincide with commuter traffic hours. However, if in the future the Parkway speed were reduced to the suggested 30 mph or if the road were realigned to a more winding, park-like configuration, then travel times between Niagara Falls and Lewiston would undoubtedly increase.
Robert Moses Parkway within Project Boundary
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In 1887, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux prepared the General Plan for the Improvement of the Niagara Reservation for the Board of Commissioners of the State Reservation of Niagara. The principal theme of this report is to “return” the Reservation to its “native state” as much as possible. The Plan states, “about a seventh part has at present an objectionable artificial character, most of it, for example having been heaped up or dug out in connection with road or building operations”. The plan proposes that these disturbed areas be restored to a “permanently agreeable natural state.” While the plan aims to provide for sufficient roads and walks, and seats at important viewing areas, and for restroom facilities, these should be designed in such a manner as to not intrude harshly upon the natural scenery, should protect it from injury, and safeguard its healthy growth.
The plan recommends that a road called the “Riverway” be constructed for the entire length of the Reservation. It is suggested that this Riverway be placed as far from shore as possible in “discontinuous straight outlines with angular changes in direction” and that “at points it is divided in order to avoid injury to a few promising trees.”
The original license application for construction and
operation of the NPP stipulated that the construction of the Parkway be made a
condition of the license (in order to comply with a stated object of the 1950
treaty to preserve and enhance the scenic beauty of Niagara Falls and the
Niagara River). The initial phase of
Parkway construction and parcels of land acquired extended from the North Grand
Island Bridge to the Rainbow Bridge near the eastern boundary of the Niagara
Reservation State Park. The area to the
north of the Reservation is denoted as “Future Niagara Parkway” on maps
attached to this agreement.
In November 1961, a resolution was adopted by NYPA transmitting three sections of the Parkway to the jurisdiction and maintenance of the Niagara Frontier State Park Commission (now part of NYSOPRHP). These three sections were: (1) the section from the North Grand Island Bridges to the Rainbow Bridge in the City of Niagara Falls, (2) section from Cleveland Avenue to Bellevue Avenue, in the City of Niagara Falls, and (3) section from Bellevue Avenue to Devils Hole State Park.
In December 1961, the Commission formally accepted the transfer of the three above-named sections of the Parkway.
On July 22, 1964, the NYPA Trustees adopted a resolution granting the State of New York and the Commissioners of the Niagara Frontier State Park Commission the right to possess, use, maintain, control, manage, and govern as part of the State Parkway the property owned by or under the jurisdiction of NYPA in the County of Niagara, New York. Included were the portions of the Niagara Parkway and facilities appurtenant thereto constructed by the Authority incidental to its Niagara Power Project, namely, (1) in the City of Niagara Falls, from the Rainbow Bridge to Ferry Avenue, including the interchange with Main Street, (2) in the City of Niagara Falls, from Ferry Avenue to Cleveland Avenue, (3) in the Town of Lewiston, from Devils Hole to the southerly structural face of the Robert Moses Niagara Power Plant, and (4) in the Town of Lewiston, from the structure of the Robert Moses Niagara Power Plant northward to the intersection of Upper Mountain Road and Lewiston Road. A letter agreement memorializing the NYPA action was issued bearing the same date as the resolution.
In June 1974, NYPA granted to NYSOPRHP the right and privilege to possess, use, maintain, control, manage, and govern for State Park purposes (only), approximately 193.5 acres of NYPA-owned land in the Town of Lewiston for the development of Lewiston State Park (now Earle W. Brydges Artpark), effective July 1, 1974.
The Occupancy Agreement was superseded by an agreement calling for a 25-year term on January 31, 2001.
This agreement defines and acknowledges operational and maintenance responsibilities of each party in regard to 31 bridges and highway structures, including two that have since been removed. .
This report was prepared for the Pine Avenue Business Association and the City of Niagara Falls Department of Community Development.
The Scope of this study encompasses the framework for a set of urban design proposals and guidelines for the Little Italy Niagara Development of Pine Avenue in the City of Niagara Falls. The project area for this study includes Pine Avenue from the Hyde Park intersection to the east to the Main Street intersection to the west, including the City Market district bounded by Elmwood, East Market, and West Market Streets. Also included are some side streets close to Market Street, particularly 19th Street from Elmwood Street to the Walnut Street intersection. However, the focus of the study included the project area east of the Portage Avenue intersection.
The report discusses improvements to Main Street district and completion of the Quay Street extension to provide direct assess to Pine Avenue from the Parkway to help create easier vehicular access to “Little Italy Niagara”. The principal goal of the plan is to transform “Little Italy Niagara” into a pedestrian-friendly place with an “old-world” ambience. The plan, which addresses the physical framework of the district, is intended to help the area realize its full economic potential as the region’s premier business corridor. Initial projects have included the renovation of the City Market, the rebuilding of several businesses storefronts, brick pavers, tree surrounds, decorative banners, and gateway columns. The plan has been formalized as the “Little Italy Niagara Initiative”.
This redevelopment plan does not address impediments or
opportunities related to the future use and disposition of the Robert Moses
Parkway.
The Comprehensive Plan represents the city’s vision for the future in terms of population growth, economic development, land use, community service and traffic. The report presents several proposals dealing with the Robert Moses Parkway. The following summarizes the key points in this regard.
The report notes that as part of Niagara Gorge Waterfront Redevelopment, the Parkway north of Niagara Street was downgraded and reconfigured to an urban arterial boulevard. The report states that NYPA owns 162 riverfront acres, which includes the Parkway and an undetermined amount of Niagara gorge acreage. The report also states that O&M responsibilities along the Parkway corridor have been delegated primarily to NYSDOT, but that the division of ownership and O&M responsibilities has hindered the transportation and waterfront planning efforts.
The report suggests that the Parkway separates an estimated six million annual tourists and local/region residents from access to the Niagara River and gorge areas and that no progress has been made toward implementation of projects that would allow greater usage of waterfront areas. The report notes that as part of the downtown development plan the City is considering future connections with the Parkway at Hyde Park Boulevard and Portage Road, which would provide greater access to the City of Niagara Falls. It is pointed out that the Parkway is not a continuous route through the City of Niagara Falls and that a portion of the Parkway located entirely within the Niagara Reservation State Park has been restricted to park traffic. The report continues:
The restricted segment begins at the Quay Street exit and ends at the Main Street exit/entranceway to the Parkway north of the Rainbow Bridge Plaza. Traffic is now routed through downtown, utilizing Quay Street, Rainbow Boulevard and Main Street. This channels traffic directly into the Rainbow Center – Tourism Business District. The removed section [of the Parkway] is much shorter, permitting less restricted pedestrian movement to the foot of the Falls and Goat Island, within the Reservation’s Prospect Point Park. Closed sections of the Parkway remain intact and have been reprogrammed for other internal Park transportation and parking purposes. Therefore, for discussion purposes, the Parkway is here divided into two sections: Section 1. North Grand Island Bridge/LaSalle Arterial to its downtown terminus at Quay Street, functioning as an east-west arterial expressway. Section 2. Main Street/Rainbow Boulevard to the North City Line and continuing to Youngstown. This section functions as a north-south arterial expressway.
The report asserts that Section 1 functions primarily as a commuter route to and from the City and that this section of the Parkway is underutilized, with traffic volumes below design capacity. It is noted that, in this section of the Parkway, there are six connections with State and City routes, including the LaSalle Arterial, I-190, Buffalo Avenue, Quay Street, Fourth Street, and Prospect Street, which provide travelers with adequate alternatives to reach the entire City of Niagara Falls. The report notes that because of completed or projected downtown development and the Local Waterfront Revitalization Program transportation projects, the City is considering a connection with the Parkway at Hyde Park Boulevard and improvements at Quay Street that would increase the utility of the Parkway to the City by linking the Parkway to Hyde Park Boulevard (NY Route 61) an alternate north-south arterial that bisects the City and connects to Lewiston Road just north of the City. The report further notes that tourists traveling along this section of the Parkway have limited views and access to the Niagara River, which has caused this area to be underutilized.
The report asserts that Section 2 of the Parkway, which parallels the Niagara gorge beginning in the downtown area (Main Street), and running north beyond the northern City Line, also functions primarily as a commuter route to and from the City, although on a smaller scale than Section 1. The report states that this section of the Parkway is also underutilized, primarily because of limited and difficult-to-reach exits and entries, many dead-end residential streets at the Parkway’s edge, and lack of awareness of the route by tourists. The report notes that tourists traveling along this section of the Parkway between downtown and the City’s north end are unable to view the Niagara River gorge and that the Niagara Gorge Discovery Center (former Schoellkopf Geological Museum) is isolated on the west side of the Parkway and is perceived as being difficult to access. The report continues:
An overlook parking area is also designated on the west side of the Parkway opposite Spruce Avenue, however, the area is only accessible to southbound traffic and since no views into the gorge are attainable it is actually no more than a rest stop. Further north, the Parkway services the Whirlpool State Park and Devil’s Hole. Picnicking, restrooms, overlooks, parking, walking and bicycle paths and a stairway to the bottom of the Gorge are all accessible to north and south travelers. Present access to both of these facilities is very restricted.
The report notes that there are a total of three connections with State and City routes in this section, including Main Street, Bellevue Avenue, and Findlay Drive, which provide travelers with alternatives for access to, and egress from, the City of Niagara Falls.
The current Parkway redesign alternative combines sections of the existing Parkway with segments of Whirlpool Street to create a Boulevard with continuous median and a formally landscaped right-of-way. The current southbound lanes of the Parkway are to be eliminated wherever possible, creating accessible open space along the edge of the gorge rim for pedestrian pathways. The Parkway Overpass will be used in conjunction with improvements made to the Whirlpool Bridge and Plaza. Access from the local street network creates direct and understandable linkages not only between the City and the waterfront, but also within the waterfront district itself. (A detailed description of this project can be found in the City’s LWRP Gorge Waterfront District Master Plan documents).
Under the Transportation Section of the Comprehensive Plan, the following recommendations are made for the Robert Moses Parkway.
Gorge Waterfront Improvements. As part of the City’s Waterfront Program, that portion of the Parkway north of Main Street, along the Niagara Gorge is suggested for redesign. The westerly portion (southbound leg) of the Parkway along the Gorge is recommended for removal and the easterly portion (northbound leg) is to be combined with Whirlpool Street and converted into an urban arterial (scenic) Boulevard connecting Rainbow Boulevard, north and south, with the north and south lanes of the Parkway throughout the City and eventually to Lewiston. This is based on the desire to create a world class Waterfront Park, returning pedestrian access to the Gorge and River, simultaneously connecting all of the natural features of the Niagara River within a singular park environment.
Robert Moses Parkway Interchange at Hyde Park Boulevard. Due to increasing traffic demands and future Waterfront development, a new connection with the Robert Moses Parkway at Hyde Park will be necessary. If initiated, these ramps would provide an exit for westbound traffic onto Hyde Park Boulevard and westbound onto the Parkway.
The report further notes that, in March 1981, the Niagara Frontier Transportation Committee (NFTC), now the Greater Buffalo-Niagara Regional Transportation Council (GBNRTC) developed the Niagara Frontier Bicycle Master Plan. This Plan recommends that all 12 miles of the Parkway be designated as a Class I Bikeway.
The Scope of this document was to develop a new Comprehensive Plan for the Town of Lewiston to help guide public policy into the new century. The document provides a summary of existing conditions, including the transportation network and a discussion of the implications for planning.
The report notes that the Robert Moses Parkway and I-190 are two limited-access highways located in the western part of the Town of Lewiston that provide for north-south traffic movement with adequate access along the Niagara River region to Western New York and Canada. It also notes that two parallel north-south routes NY 18 (Creek Road) east of the Parkway and NY 18F (Lower River Road), County Road 907 west of the Parkway, and Military Road (NY 265) located in the southwestern part of Lewiston facilitate north-south traffic movements.
The Plan suggests that the Parkway link should be a major feature of a regional recreation and tourism activity center that links Niagara Falls with Artpark, a revitalized Town and Village of Lewiston, Joseph B. Davis State Park, Youngstown, and Fort Niagara, which should serve to enhance the status of the Historic Niagara Colonial District.
The Plan identifies an Average Annual Daily Traffic (AADT) volume of 5,300 vehicles on the Parkway between the Village of Lewiston and the Lewiston-Queenston Bridge and an AADT of 5,450 between the Lewiston-Queenston Bridge and City of Niagara Falls. The Plan notes that in the long run (5 years), general traffic may be expected to remain relatively constant and that no significant improvements to transportation facilities are envisioned.
This environmental study, undertaken by the Erie and Niagara Counties Regional Planning Board (ENCRPB), examined the entire 37-mile length of the Niagara River. The objectives of the study were to:
· survey the Niagara River and its surroundings as an environmental contributor to the economy of the region and the enjoyment of residents and visitors;
· identify existing and incipient environmental problems that limit the potential of the river as an environmental resource;
· define the action plan needed, both short- and long-term, to deal with the problems identified, to protect and enhance the essential qualities of the river and its shores; and,
· outline the methods needed to effectively implement the actions identified.
The study area was a band along the shoreline of the river from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario, approximately one mile wide. Within this corridor, studies were made of geographic features, land use and population concentrations, prominent structures, highways, historical features, concentrations of tourist activity, and pollution sources.
The report suggests that even if it were feasible, efforts should not be made to return the area to its pre-development state, but rather that an effort should be made to recognize industry and commerce as prime contributors to the area and essential features of the shoreline environment by aiming at changes that would better accommodate industrial, commercial and other productive functions in the scenic and recreational environment. Under Item 2 - Preservation and Enhancement of Scenic Beauty, the study suggests the following actions to enhance the scenic beauty of the area:
· Cleaning-up non-productive features of the waterfront that degrade the environment, such as deteriorating piers, sanitary landfills, or cluttered and disorganized waterside industrial storage areas that do not require water frontage but are visually offensive;
· Controlling and abating erosion of the Falls and shoreline;
· Landscaping and screening unsightly features from important scenic locations;
· Relocating power lines and removing unused railroad tracks or sidings and similar facilities that detract from the scenic nature of the area;
· Landscaping highways and improving design of directional signs that indicate points of interest;
· Planning and developing open space and parks;
· Implementing urban renewal in areas where problems are more fundamental than cosmetic;
· Eliminating or improving abandoned borrow pits and similar sites.
Under Item 5 – Improvement of Access to the River, the study suggests the following actions to expand and improve access to the river and river-oriented recreation:
· Breakthrough to the shoreline where industry, highways, railroads or other barriers preclude public access to the shore. Possible relocation of such barriers;
· Development of walks, drives, turnoffs, parking areas and similar shoreline amenities to facilitate pedestrian access to the bank and to the river level;
· Improvement of transportation to the river, public and private;
· Development of recreational, food, and similar support facilities needed to enhance and permit a more extended experience on the shore.
Under Item 6 – Improvement of Appreciation of Historical Heritage, the study suggests the following actions with respect to the historical features of the area:
· Organization of historical knowledge about the area for purposes of education, advertisement, and personal enjoyment;
· Increasing the enjoyment of significant historical features by restoration, by other improvements, such as historical markings, roads and parking, and by historical programs and tours;